The freshman safety played a season-high 43 snaps against the Buckeyes.
Rylon Dillard-Allen has come as close as anyone on the University of Washington football team to earning a starting assignment without making it happen. Against Ohio State, the freshman player nicknamed "Batman," took the field on the Huskies' second defensive snap of the game as part of a three-safety defensive alignment specifically geared for the Buckeyes, and replaced sophomore nickelback Leroy Bryant.
Dillard-Allen, according to Pro Football Focus, would end up pulling a career-best 43 snaps to Bryant's 23. He did everything except officially draw the starting assignment, as designated by who gets on the field first. The UW's Caped Crusader has been an electrifying player since arriving in Montlake -- returning interceptions 30 and 40 yards for touchdowns in the Spring Game and a fall mock game, respectively -- yet he hasn't automatically become a freshman starter for the Huskies basically for one reason. "RDA he might be a little undersized right now, just because of the lack of time in the weight room," UW defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said, "but he plays with physicality and he flies around." Dillard-Allen lists out at 6-foot and 180 pounds, which is about 20 pounds lighter than the UW's veteran safeties and will come. Otherwise, Batman did what he was asked against Ohio State, finishing with 3 tackles, as did freshman cornerback Dylan Robinson, who made his first career start that day. Of course, Robinson already carries a filled-out 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame. "They didn't have any mental errors, which was huge, especially with the amount of install we put in," Walters said, referring to Dillard-Allen and Robinson and his defensive schemes.No matter how slender he might be now, Dillard-Allen brings a fearless approach to how he plays safety. Midway through Husky fall camp, he and junior wide receiver Kevin Green Jr. engaged in a lot of pushing and shoving that finally escalated into punches thrown before everyone was separated and practice ended. Dillard-Allen brings the best nickname of any in a bevy of young defensive backs who are pushing hard to be noticed, draw a lot of defensive snaps and eventually even start. Rashawn Clark, who's a 6-foot, 195-pound redshirt freshman, drew his initial career start for the Huskies against Washington State in the Apple Cup, but missed the Ohio State game because he appeared to be in concussion protocol. Robinson opened against the Buckeyes and looked comfortable going up against All-America receiver Jeremiah Smith, with the two engaging in a running commentary during the game.Ramonz Adams Jr. is shown in warm-ups before the Ohio State game. / Dave Sizer photo Earlier, true freshmen cornerbacks D'Aryhian Clemons and Ramonz Adams Jr. made their UW debuts against UC Davis, while redshirt freshman corner Elias Johnson debuted against Colorado State. "I can't remember a time where we had this many," Walters said of all of the young DBs pushing for playing time. "Everywhere I've been we've had a couple here and there who ended up being really good players. "To have as many guys in the rotation as we do, to have them in their first and second years, speaks highly of the way coach Fisch's recruiting department and eval department has evaluated guys that are the right fit here. It bodes well for the future."Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.
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